LeBron James sprinted back to the locker room on Wednesday so that he could watch the USC game as his son, Bronny James, took on Arizona.
James was multitasking, watching Bronny play as he also fielded questions from reporters after the Lakers defeated the Mavericks. Although the Trojans lost again and have a losing record on the season, this was perhaps the best overall game in the NCAA so far for Bronny.
He finished with 11 points (5-of-11 from the field), five rebounds, six assists and one block during the performance. It was his second appearance in the starting lineup since re-joining USC following an offseason health scare.
Despite initially playing well when he first returned to the court, Bronny entered the game against Arizona in a shooting slump.
"When I talk to people around the league, [Bronny James] is on the draft boards of multiple teams."@ShamsCharania on LeBron watching Bronny's USC game during his postgame interviews.
📺: https://t.co/wdT8I0ST8g pic.twitter.com/9N6SmOU2fD
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 18, 2024
But his most recent game had the kind of stat line that could draw the attention of scouts around the NBA. Either way, according to league insider Shams Charania, the freshman guard is already on the radar for “multiple” franchises around the league (via Run It Back):
“When I talk to NBA people, they know defensively, he’s a lot more further along than offensively. […] When I talk to people around the league, he is on the draft boards of multiple teams.”
What exactly does it mean for Bronny to be on a draft board?
That much is unclear, especially considering that some draft boards are potentially expansive and include many names, but it is encouraging news for his future that teams beyond the Lakers have some exploratory interest. (For what it is worth, oddsmakers believe the Knicks are the most likely team to draft Bronny if the Lakers don’t.)
Even though not all evaluators are convinced he is a one-and-done talent in college basketball, his teammates have had high praise for his play at USC.
All things considered, we shouldn’t be surprised that Bronny is still featured on big boards. Of course, his father is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (and LeBron could become a free agent and may want to play on the same team as his son).
Bronny is also a former McDonald’s All-American and was a four-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon in Southern California. When we scouted Bronny at an AAU game, his defensive output was his standout ability.
We, like ESPN, do not have Bronny featured in the first round of our latest mock draft. But if he keeps playing well and helps USC turn their very poor season around, he could find his way back into a suitable projection.
